A new year brings new resolutions, new beginnings and hope for a great year but there’s one resolution that everyone can make right now – Drink & Don’t Drive.
To help keep Coloradans safe from the dangers of impaired drivers, the Colorado Department of Transportation and the Colorado State Patrol are once again teaming with nearly 100 law enforcement agencies throughout Colorado in the final DUI enforcement period of 2014 and first of 2015, as part of CDOT’s ongoing The Heat Is On impaired driving prevention campaign.
The New Year’s crackdown includes more DUI checkpoints and law enforcement on the streets looking for impaired drivers between Tuesday, Dec. 30 and Monday, Jan. 5.
“Last year during New Year’s enforcement, CSP troopers arrested 127 impaired drivers and our partner law enforcement agencies made an additional 374 arrests throughout the state,” said Col. Scott Hernandez, Chief of the Colorado State Patrol. “That’s more than 500 people who made the wrong decision and drove impaired, putting their lives and the lives of others at risk. We hope that more people will plan ahead and use the resources available to get home safely.”
Many driving alternatives are available in Colorado to prevent impaired driving:
· Use a car service – Rideshare services are available throughout the state, like Lyft, available in Colorado Springs and Denver, and Uber, available in Denver, Fort Collins and Boulder.
· Call a cab – Use the Taxi Finder App, or 1-800-TAXICAB to find one closest to you.
“With so many transportation options available, there really is no excuse for drivers to get behind the wheel when they’re impaired,” said Darrell Lingk, Director of the Office of Transportation Safety at CDOT. “If these services aren’t available in your area, there’s always the option of designating a sober driver or staying somewhere where you don’t have to drive after the celebration.”
The Heat Is On campaign runs throughout the year with 12 specific DUI enforcement periods centered on national holidays and large public events. More details about the campaign, including DUI enforcement plans, arrest totals and safety tips, can be found at HeatIsOnColorado.com.
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